•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
During a House Armed Services Committee hearing on April 30, 2026, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reiterated his long-standing enthusiasm for Bitcoin, describing it as a “tool to project power.” His remarks were made as lawmakers discussed how the United States should counter adversaries’ digital strategies, including those of China and Russia.
Hegseth’s comments align with earlier disclosures by Admiral Samuel Paparo Jr., which indicated that the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command operates a Bitcoin node for cybersecurity testing.
The hearing took place against a backdrop of strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region, where digital capabilities and cyber operations are increasingly viewed as part of broader national security efforts.
Taken together, the statements suggest a growing role for cryptocurrency-related infrastructure in U.S. national security work, particularly in efforts aimed at understanding and countering adversary digital strategies.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
